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Mitsubishi RA-Concept revealed
By Yoann Besnard on 30 November 2007 | 
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Mitsubishi has released the first sketches of the concept-car it will reveal at next year's Detroit Motor Show. It might be a styling exercise that previews the next-generation Eclipse coupé sold on the US market. Dubbed RA-Concept, the coupé is based on an aluminium space frame and features a diesel engine, the first concept-car with such an engine to be revealed at an American motor show.
The coupé features an aggressive overall shape with sharp lines, air intakes and an arched roof line. The rear end reminds us the Porshce Bosxter while the front features the new corporate fascia. The sketches are appealing but Mitsubishi has a habit to discard the most innovative and interesting ideas when moving from the drawing board to reality.
Sitting on an aluminium space frame, the RA-Concept features an all-wheel drive transmission coupled with an improved version of the Dual clutch gearbox called Twin Clutch SST. The car will be powered by a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel which has an power output of 201bhp and a torque of 310 lb ft thanks to the MIVEC, a continuously variable valve timing control, and a turbocharger with variable geometry. The car is equipped with a new catalytic converter that combines a diesel oxidation catalyst, a NOx trap catalyst and a diesel particulate filter in order to comply with the US regulations.
